Increase in HFC‐134a emissions in response to the success of the Montreal Protocol

The 1,1,1,2‐tetrafluoroethane (HFC‐134a), an important alternative to CFC‐12 in accordance with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, is a high global warming potential greenhouse gas. Here we evaluate variations in global and regional HFC‐134a emissions and emission trends, from 1995 to 2010, at a relatively high spatial and temporal (3.75° in longitude × 2.5° in latitude and 8 day) resolution, using surface HFC‐134a measurements. Our results show a progressive increase of global HFC‐134a emissions from 19 ± 2 Gg/yr in 1995 to 167 ± 5 Gg/yr in 2010, with both a slowdown in developed countries and a 20%/yr increase in China since 2005. A seasonal cycle is also seen since 2002, which becomes enhanced over time, with larger values during the boreal summer.